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Talib waited until the call disconnected and then pulled up the satellite maps of the desert where the refugee camp was located. If the dissidents thought to sneak back across the border with Erin, they would find out quickly that the people of Jawhara were loyal to their ruler and those under his protection.
He quickly accessed the computers which kept a video feed of the satellite images for each twelve hour period of time. He brought them up on his laptop and proceeded to scan through each image, carefully watching for any sign of the border being crossed.
Several hours later, he rubbed his neck and scowled at the screen in frustration. Nothing! No one had crossed the border between the time Erin had gone missing and the present time. Erin was still in Jawhara, but where?
Chapter 19
Erin awoke with the sensation of choking, gasping for air. She could barely breathe, the air was so heavy and filled with a horrible smell. To make matters worse, a heavy cloth covered her face. When she went to move it, she found her arms were secured behind her back.
As panic began to set in, she gave into it and began to struggle to free herself. When she heard someone approach, she stopped squirming, hoping that whoever had joined her was there to explain themselves and untie the ropes that secured her feet and hands.
Someone spoke harshly to her in Arabic and nudged her in the back. She attempted to move away and was hauled roughly to a sitting position. She wasn’t sure how long she had been asleep, and couldn’t remember what had happened.
Her head throbbed fiercely at the back of her head and a wet sensation had her wondering if she was bleeding from the wound.
When the heavy cloth was removed from her face, she blinked trying to adjust to the dim light and make out the features of her capturer. Swallowing, she hoarsely asked, “What have you done?” Calling upon the royal air of command she had heard Kamal use many times, she tried again, “Untie me at once. Where is my guard?”
The woman standing in front of her either didn’t understand or had decided not to respond. Erin was frustrated and ready to start screaming when the young guard appeared.
“Help me!” she called out to him, surprised to see him ignore her and begin conversing with the women in a language that sounded different than the Arabic other Jawharan’s spoke.
“What is going on here?” Erin demanded, growing more alarmed by the second. Kamal would send the entire kingdom to find her once word of her disappearance got back to him.
The guard approached her, squatting down to look her in the eye, “You are going to help us with a little problem.”
“No! The Sheikh will kill you for what you’ve done.”
The guard shook his head, unconcerned with her threat, “He will try. Even now, he has people scouring the tents trying to find you. Don’t bother screaming, they have already been here and thoroughly searched this tent. They found no one but my mother and her disabled son – me.”
Erin started to open her mouth to scream but stopped when he grabbed her around the throat and squeezed. “I would recommend you don’t do that. I do not want to harm you, but your Sheikh has made a grave mistake. His negotiations for the refugees to return is a fool’s dream. He was warned to stay out of our politics and to let the refugees stay here in Jawhara. He didn’t listen. The trucks are to arrive next week to begin carrying these people back across the border. Unless the Sheikh cancels those trucks, he will not be getting you back.”
“Why does it matter to you? Doesn’t your mother want to return to her home?” Erin was confused and trying to understand why the refugees were not wanted back.
“You are an American, so try to understand. My country is a proud people with a great history; one that includes a strong Islamic faith and practice. These people,” he gestured with his arms, indicating the refugees, “They do not practice Islam in the old ways. They want to bring in western ideologies and contaminate the minds of our young people.”
“But I thought they were simply refugees who sought safety when the war broke out.”
“That is what your Sheikh was led to believe. These people were forced from their homes because of the way they practice their religion. We do not want them back in our country.”
Erin was starting to see the picture and grew more alarmed than ever. This war in the neighboring country was religious in nature, and holy wars had a history of ending badly – for everyone involved. “Has the Sheikh been informed of the true reason behind the war in your country?”
The guard shook his head, “It would not matter. He has chosen to align himself with the enemies of Islam and therefore, he is also our enemy. We will do everything in our power to ensure these refugees do not return to our country. Even if it means taking drastic measures.”
Erin hoped her kidnapping was considered ‘drastic’ enough. She didn’t want to think what else it might mean. She would be patient and look for any opportunity to escape from her kidnappers. In the meantime, she would
be kind and biddable and protect her unborn child as best as she could. Kamal would move heaven and earth to find her. She just knew he would.
Chapter 20
Seven hours later, Talib arrived at the refugee camp, and was immediately confronted by a blonde-haired woman who looked like a strong breeze could carry her off. The top of her head only came to the middle of his chest, but the fierce look in her eyes gave him confidence that she was the right person to be heading up this search team in his absence.
“Miss Williams?”
PJ turned upon hearing her name and looked up, and then up again. The man speaking to her was obviously from Jawhara, but spoke excellent English. She guessed he was probably 6’5” tall as he towered over her 5’5” height by at least a foot.
His dark eyes were almost black and his dark hair and unshaven appearance gave him a deadly aura she hoped was not being directed at her. “Yes?”
“My name is Talib, I am the head of security for Jawhara. I have just returned from retrieving Miss Malone’s parents and require an update on the situation. I don’t have to tell you that they were very alarmed to arrive at the palace and find their daughter had been kidnapped.”
